What is Nationalism, and Why is it Important?

Have you ever wondered what nationalism is and why it is important? Nationalism is an important topic today, but it is not an outcome of the 21st century. Instead, it is as old as human history. 

Ever since the advent of the nation-state system, nationalism has become the norm. There is hardly an exception among 195 countries that is not driven by nationalist policies. 

In this article, you’ll learn about the concept of nationalism, why it is important, how it affects foreign policy, and how it led to World War 1. We will also discuss the difference between nationalism and patriotism.

What Is The Concept Of Nationalism?

If you are trying to understand the basic concept of nationalism, this section will resolve all your ambiguities about nationalism with examples.

Nationalism in simple terms, has many facets. For example, there are 195 nation states in the world. With the rise of nationalism, each state considers itself the world’s hegemon, prioritises its culture, ethnicity and language. 

The problem arises when bleak patriotism turns into ultra-nationalism. People with such an ideology think their nation is the supreme one, and they owe all their loyalties and efforts to it. Also, there is nothing more important than a state’s national interest.

This is the basic concept of nationalism. For example, if a former US President raises a slogan like” Make America Great Again,” underneath it is a nationalist inclination.

According to the Oxford Encyclopedia, nationalism is rooted in the supremacy of any given nation, which is motivated to bring growth by ensuring national unity, isolationism, and national autonomy.

Historical Background Of Nationalism

So far, so good. Let’s have a look at the historical legacy of nationalism. You may be surprised to know that nationalism is not an inherent nature of homo sapiens. Ever since the shift from ape-culture to humanism, Stone Age tribes never prioritized nationalism. Their sole purpose was survival.

European history has much to say in the rise of nationalism. For example, nationalism did not peak before the signing of the Treaty of Westphalia. Even the Concert of Europe sowed the seeds of nationalism. With the initiation of nation-state system, each state was directed to have a clearly defined territory, a ruler to govern the state and a population to be governed. As a result, the more isolated a country became, the more it shifted towards nationalism.

This isolation allowed nations to work for their land and people. Hence, growth and development became the prime pillars to keep the nations intact. Yuval Noah Harari in his book 21 Lessons For the 21st Century argues that the more a nation provides its citizens with certain levels of security and prosperity, the more they are willing to pay the price in blood.

In the present age, nationalism is still the norm worldwide. Whether in South Asia or Europe, the roots of nationalism are evident. Hence, nationalism is a product of the nation-state system in general and the 20th century in particular.

What Is Nationalism And Why is it Important?

International analysts have interlinked nationalism with the realist perspective of international relations. Because both nationalism and realism prioritise national interests, their importance in the political, cultural, and social spheres is worth mentioning.

Nationalism’s importance can be analysed from the fact that it ensures national unity. National unity, for the record, is a social and cultural phenomenon in which the masses unite to promote the collective interests of the state.

Consider the case study of China. A country with 1.4 billion souls is one of the most peaceful regions in the world. Have you ever heard of domestic skirmishes in China? Hardly ever. China has united the whole nation by promoting nationalist ideologies. For example, the country has a Socialist political system and believes in the supremacy of Chinese natives.

In the same way, nationalism plays a pivotal role in mobilising a revolution of independence and self-determination. Had the French Revolution in 1789 not been steered by nationalist sentiments, France would have been ruled under the tyrannical dictatorship of some king or Queen. 

In addition, nationalism’s importance can be judged by its potential to resist colonialism and imperialism. Declaration of Independence, for example, was signed in 1776. Behind that achievement were nationalist ideologies that helped resist the wrath of British colonialism. Imagine for a moment: Had the Americans not resisted whatever they were facing, would America have become the superpower of the 21st century? Never. The American Revolution also inspired the French Revolution.

Nationalism Vs. Patriotism

Nationalism and Patriotism are two sides of the same coin, having inherently different concepts. Because both concepts somehow relate to national supremacy and uniqueness, many people get confused between the two terms. However, there is a huge difference between nationalism and patriotism. Let’s discuss both concepts in detail.

Nationalism

Nationalism, on the other hand, is a complex concept. The realm of nationalism begins when benign patriotism morphs into more hard feelings. Instead of believing my country is unique, nationalism makes people think that their identity, language, nation, religion, ethnicity, and culture are supreme and every other nation’s values are somehow inferior to the former.

If you want to know what nationalism is, for example, have a look at the Nazist ideology. Nazis believed that Germans were the most superior and supreme nation in the world. And everyone, including Jews, is a creature of a somewhat lesser god.

Similarly, nationalism helps launch independence movements. Every nation that has achieved independence so far was once a true devotee of nationalism. Take, for example, Pakistan, a country in South Asia. Ultranationalism pushed the country to create a separate homeland for its people. Even Eastern European states such as Austria and Germany got rid of imperialism by following the footsteps of nationalism.

Patriotism

In simple words, patriotism is the feeling of love, passion, loyalty, and sincerity toward a nation or state. Patriotism believes that one’s nation is unique in all forms, including its language, culture, traditions, norms and customs, and religion. 

For example, if you love your country, feel proud to have it, and have vowed to commit your loyalty and respect to its values, this implies that you are a true patriot.

So, many countries have written national anthems that testify to the presence of patriotism.

Types Of Nationalism

There are 3 main types of nationalism. Let’s discuss them briefly

• Religious Nationalism: Religious nationalism endorses the concept that once religion is supreme and flawless. To reinforce this assumption, religious nationalist tries to degrade every second religion in the world. Hindu nationalism in India can be taken as an example.
• Economic Nationalism: Economic nationalism is more conservative in nature. In this type of nationalism, the ideals of a free market economy are strictly monitored, and the country follows protectionist policies where domestic goods are given the utmost priority.
• Ethnic Nationalism: As the name indicates, when a nation is united on cultural values, ethnicity and common language, knows that ethnic nationalism is at play. 19th-century Nazism is a true example of this type of nationalism.

Why Is Nationalism An Important Factor?

Nationalism’s importance is evident across the world despite its potential to escalate global tensions among nation-states.

Political Stability

A nation cannot thrive unless its political games are in place. Nationalism can play a pivotal role in ensuring political stability. Be it Communist Russia or Democratic USA, relics of nationalism help ensure political stability. So, if Donald Trump raises the slogan “Make America Great Again,” this does not imply that America is somehow not great. Rather, it ensures political stability by gaining the favour of the masses.

Welfare And Development

In this deterministic universe, nationalism is said to be an important factor because it ensures welfare and development. For example, if a country pursues economic nationalism, it tends to promote domestic production. As a result, not only are local goods and services produced within the country, but the overall economy also takes an upward trajectory. This allows the state to invest more in national welfare and development and less in trivial matters.

For instance, China does not import semiconductors from any outsource. Rather, it has endorsed its domestic production of semiconductors. Resultantly, 95% of the country’s population lives above the poverty line.

Cohesion And Unity

Nationalism also ensures cohesion and unity in the nation. Cohesion and unity refer to the unification of a nation on a certain agenda. When this happens, a nation is liberated. Be it modern-day Turkiye, which broke the shackles of slavery and hegemony, or 18th-century France, nationalism was part and parcel of every revolution.

Had Kemal Ataturk from Turkiye not followed the footsteps of nationalism, he would not have broken the hegemony of the century-old Ottoman Empire.

Ethnic and Cultural Preservation

Last but not least is nationalism’s potential to preserve ethnic and cultural inclinations. We all belong to a case, tribe or ethnicity. The funfact is each ethnicity wants its culture, norms and customs to be preserved and promoted. When such sentiments arise, they swiftly mould into nationalism.

 For example, almost 100,000 different cultures and ethnicities persist worldwide. And each one tries to project its ethnic inclinations the supreme and superior. Therefore, Nationalism protects a nation’s cultural identity, heritage, values, and language. That is why, in this post-historic world, nations are more determined to promote their culture and ethnicity.

Negative Effects of Nationalism

All said and done. Nationalism, no matter how positive and fruitbearing it may seem, its negative impacts are far more destructive than its positive side. 

• If there is any war happening out there in the world, it is a written fact that its roots go back to nationalism. Be it the Israel-Palestine conflict or Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, all wars are fought just because nationalism was at play in the backend.

• Let alone wars. Nationalism creates a deep division within society. The more nationalism prevails in a society, the more fragmented it will be, no matter how diverse. For example, Taliban nationalism in Afghanistan pivots on the assumption that only Afghan natives are the supreme race in the world. 

• Moving forward, the same drawback applies to religion. When any religion is considered the truth and a divine will, it implies that every other religion in the world is somehow not universal in nature.

 As a result of this superior complex, people don’t dare budge to kill someone on the assumption that someone has criticized their religious values. Therefore, nationalism also contaminates the religious sphere of life.

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How Does Nationalism Affect Foreign Policy?

Foreign policy is the policy formulated by a state to pursue its national interests by considering geographical, political, social, and religious factors. All these determinants play a pivotal role in policymaking. However, given its immense vitality in international relations, foreign policy is also affected by nationalism.

Prioritisation Of National Interests

As politics is said to be the pursuit of national interests, nationalism reinforces this ideal characteristic of politics. Therefore, governments put immense focus on achieving their national interests by avoiding any international cooperation to protect and safeguard their security, sovereignty, and integrity.

A case in point is Donald Trump’s “Great America.” By raising this slogan, Trump strived to protect the USA’s national interests. Not only did he reinforce protectionism, but he also limited the country’s trade relations with other nations worldwide.

Isolationism

Next to it comes the policy of isolationism. Isolationism, in international relations, refers to the policy where a state separates its ways from interacting or making relations with any other state. Similarly, nationalism urges countries to adopt the policy of isolationism. For the record, countries follow isolationist policies because they strive to focus on their internal affairs.

You can understand this by looking at the example of the US. Before World War 1, the US didn’t interfere even when the whole of Europe was under the threat of large-scale war. Neither did the country make any political statement nor interfere in other states’ internal affairs. 

Given this example in place, we can argue that nationalist sentiments directed the US foreign policy.

Denial of Multilateralism

In the same way, nationalist states tend to deny the importance of multilateralism. Multilateralism involves the mutual cooperation of multiple states to pursue some common objective. China’s BRI is a prime example of multilateralism.

Nevertheless, when a state is determined to prioritise its national interests, it does not pay heed to multilateral organisations and agreements. With this intention in mind, the state crafts its foreign policy by considering its own advantage and follows the zero-sum game.

You may know that Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in 2021. It has been 3 years since then that a war is happening between Russia and Ukraine. Despite United Nations sanctions and concerning countries’ boycott of Russia, the latter is nowhere about to budge and step back. For it, the preservation of its land is the foremost priority. 

Hence, nationalism urges the countries to undermine the vitality of multilateral institutions.

Nationalist Leaders

Additionally, sometimes leaders with nationalist inclinations play a role in foreign policymaking. Our history is full of far more idiotic miscalculations.

For example, Benito Mussolini laid the foundation of Fascism in communist Italy in the early 20th century. In order to intensify its presence, Mussolini inculcated the nationalist spirit in the nation by promoting Italian values, religious strings and cultural interlinkages. As a result, the whole foreign policy of Italy was defined by nationalism. And it was nationalism that tempted Italy to join forces with the Nazi Germany.

Refraining Humanitarian Interventions

Moreover, nationalist governments usually refrain from interfering in any humanitarian crisis. At present, the world is beset with 4 major humanitarian crises. Region including Kashmir, Palestine, Uighur, and Ukraine.

If you analyse with e keen eye, you will get to know that a number of states have not taken part in this discussion. Take, for example, the Kashmir conflict between Pakistan and India. According to the Human Rights Watch, more than 100,000 people have been killed by Indian forces since 1990. 

The irony is that none of the powers that be has taken any part in this matter. So nationalism affects the foreign policy of states by refraining them from interfering in any humanitarian crisis. For the record, all the aforementioned are also the main elements, in case you are still curious what are the main elements of nationalism?

How Did Nationalism Lead To WWI?

Thinking, what was the main cause of World War 1? Of course, nationalism was the main cause. Let’s understand how nationalism led to WWI. Nationalism fueled tensions between nations and empires, leading to a full-scale war. 

Major Parties At War

As od world war 1, 9 countries were involved in it.  Central powers included Germany, Austrian-Hungary empire and the Ottoman Empire. While The Allies included Britain, France, Italy, Japan Russia and the US.

Hostilities Among Nations

World War 1 was not an outcome of an immediate action. Rather, it took many years of ulterior hostilities among nations. Many states in Europe wanted to assert their hegemony in the region. For example, Germany and Britain indulged in industrial warfare, with each nation trying to outperform the other in machinations, technology and ammunition. 

This arms race and economic rivalry sowed the seeds of supremacy that, for the record, is the prime pillar of nationalism. In the same way, France was also hostile to Germany, given the former defeat in the Franco-Prussian war and the loss of Alsace-Lorraine to Germany.

As a result of this hostile environment, every state tried to outbalance others by whatever means possible. This is how did aggressive nationalism cause the World War?

Ethnic Tensions In Balkan

Well, you can consider this factor the immediate cause of World War 1, too. Nationalism ruled in the Balkans because ethnic tribes were resisting the colonial control of the Austrian-Hungary Empire and the Ottoman Empire. Also, Serbian nationalism united all the concerned tribes under one flag, leading to the antagonisation of the Austria-Hungary Empire. 

Had this nationalism not been followed, the world would not have borne the burden of 40 million souls.

Well, that is that. But the question is how did ethnic conflict lead to the start of World War I?  It was the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand a Serbian nationalist, in 1914. As a result, a full-scale war was launched among the parties at war, with Britain and France leading the herd.

Desire For National Prestige

Every war fought so far has mainly been fought due to the ulterior motives of states. Every nation wants to make progress and be highlighted as a developed nation. Similar was the case with World War 1. Because each state believed in its supremacy and hegemony, this tension gave birth to the most devastating event in human history, World War 1.

For instance, Germany, under the leadership of Kaiser Wilhelm II, was passionate about expressing its supremacy among all nations. Similarly, other nations also tried to solidify their military machinations to maintain their power in the region.

Therefore, amidst all this rivalry, nationalism was the driving force that led to World War 1.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nationalism has both merits and demerits. We don’t know how long will it take to cause another worldwar or result in another independence story. What we know is that nationalism is an important pillar of societal and political growth. Therefore, by now you may have an idea what is nationalism and why is it important. In this article we tried to analyse basic concept of nationalism critically and logically, how did nationalism lead to World war 1  and its role in foriegn policy.

For more insights into nationalism, get ready and enrol now in our online course on Nationalism. Also, you can learn more theories such as Liberalism and Conservatism. 

Frequently Asked Questions About What is Nationalism